Cross brace for load retaining doors



Feb. 4, 1958 J. w; LEsLlE- 2,822,044

CROSS'BRAC'E FOR LOAD RETAINING DOORS Filed Aug. 29. 1955 2ISheets-Sheet` 1 3 I fr I Il /ll/f l Il /iL/ l///V J. w. LESLIE l CROSSBRACEFOR LOAD RETAINING DOORS Feb. 4, .1958' l '2 sheets-sheet `2 FiledAug. 29 1955 nited States latent @ss-.224W CRoss Biosca nonLoannnranunuonoons John W. Leslie, Evanston, Illy., ilajssgnor ,toSignode Steel strapping Company, Cliig0,.i1ll," 'crrerativa @f Delawares Application August 29., 195'e ',-SerialNo. 531,218 claims 01;16v-faqs) The present invention relates to cross bra-ces for loadretaining' doors,n which are frequently known as 'grain doorsQand inparticular to a novel lsupporting arrangenienf for such doors of thenonijigid flexible type as, for example, those shown inthe patents toHerbert Corlrr'an No. 21,116,260, dated May 3, 193,8, John MfMoon No.2,'732102860, datedvFebruar'y 9, 1943, and John H. Leslie N. 2,595,081,dated April 29, 1952;" For convenience in thisl specification, theseload retaining doors maybe Vthe carriers, `auch as bloxcars, by nailingtheir marginal ed esuto the posts of the doorway defining frame. It ispreferred that the nailing be through thereinforcing straps and manyarrangements have been made to insure that nailing technique is used. Itis difficult manually 'tol 4apizlly-,very much tension to thereinforcing straps as the door is nailed in place. While some tensioncaribe applied, usually there is not adequate amount to prevent bulgingor sagging of the door outwardly of the car tjoA at least a slightdistance. If anchoragemof the car doorway post is inadequate or has.become loosened, strapV tension will sometimes pull the post loose fromthe car. Bulging .also accentuated when the doorway defining frame isoid and the wood is rotten or is badly scarred with the holes left frommany previous applications of doorway closing. partitions. Under suchcircumstances the nails do not hold tightly and will give enough` sothat the non rigid, grain door will flex outwardly- Y If the load iskheavy` granular material, or theA nails do not hold properly, thesagging will be pronounced and niaybe even suiiicient so as toprevent orobstruct the normal 'movement ofthe main and outer doors, of the vehiclewhich areI usuallyl s lid acrossl the opening yand locked inlQSfdposition until the car reaches its destination. In cases themarginal edges of the grain door will pull from the frame andi permit'leakage Iof the granular mater rial.

U It', is the principal object of the vpresent invention to proyide a,neig-and improved cross brace which is separate l-rond` the grain door,but which is positioned acrossl the `dplorwvay openingand will giveadded support tothe grain door to restrain the door against outwardsagging or bulging and to prevent it from pulling loose from thedoorwayframe.

Another `object isk to. provide a new and improved cross brace fornonrigid grain doors, which permits a shipper safely to use the standardprefabricated doors now commercially'available', on old or badly scarredboxcars.

Another object is to provide a new andlimproved-cross 2,822,044 PatentedFeb. 4, 1958 brace'for a grain door,A which vincludes a `metallic strapagainst which the @Piss faq? Q- the nogrigid grain door Ymay, bear andwhich will give added support to and prevent undue sagging or bulging ofthe grain door.

Other objects land advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription, taltenr in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary, perspective yiew, taken from the inside of arailway freight car or boxcar, showing the cross brace of the presentinvention applied across the doorway opening and supporting a graindoor, with some parts being broken away better` to illustrate theinvention;

Fing. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view, taken at one end of thehorizontal cross brace;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the'endof; the horizontal cross brace shown inFig. 2, partially broken into section better to illustrate theconstruction, and may be considered as Vnonrigid type, which may beconstructed in accordance with the teaching of any of the previouslymentioned patents. This grain door preferably comprises a pair of innerand louter plies of fabriclilte material, such as heavy kraft paper, 12and 14, reinforced. with transverse strips of metallic strapping 16,.Thedoor. is secured to the vertical posts 18A of the doorway frame of agrain or granular material carrying vehicleA such as a railway boxcar,by a plurality of nails 20, preferably of the double headed type, whichare driven through the reinforcing4 straps. In this fashion the nonrigidgra-in door 1,0- is secured rto the doorway frame and closes opening 22against the leakage .of the granular material being. transported.

As previously mentioned, vunder conditions. of heavy loading, or old andscarred door posts 18, the nonrigid grain door 1QY may, sag outwardlysuiiciently to prevent closing of the main sliding. doors of thecarrier. ln, order `to restrain the door 10 l against such sagging orbulging, the cross brace 24, of,V the, present invention is appliedacross the doorway 22,- inI such lfashion. as toprov'ide added supportfor the grain door` 10. i i

The cross bracel 24 consistsessentially. of two elements, a generallyhorizontally arranged hollow column 26 and a flexible metallic strap.28l extendingfthe length off the column and across that face thereofwhich is directed outwardly oftheV car and which will be. referred tohereinafter as, theouter face of the column. Such outer face isindicated inv the drawings, for convenience',l by the referencecharacter 30.

The column 2,6 preferably. includes a hat-shaped section 32 having agenerally4 rectangular hollow main'body portion and at its forward edgeis bounded by a pair ofupwardly and downwardly facing flanges 34 and3.6. FThe open side of the lhat-shaped section'` 32 is closed byfanouter faceplate 38 which is preferably secured, as by spotwelding, tothe anges 34 and 36, andwljiich provi'ci-e'sIY the outer face 30 ofthecolumn 2,63

The ends of the column 26 are closed by cover plates 40, each of whichat its forward edge is formed with an integral flange 42 overlying theforward face 30 of the face plate 38. The cover plate 40 has welded toits inner face a locating or positioning plate 44 which ts snugly withinthe hat-shaped section 32, frictionally holds the end plate in position,and adds strength to the column end. To the outer face of the flange 42is welded a spacer plate 46 which is the same size as the ange 42, andwhich, with the flange 42, defines an adequate space or slot for thegrain door between the strapping 28 and the column face 30. It will beobserved from Figs. 1 and 4 that the ange 42 is wider than the outerface of the cover plate 40 and has a length equal to the distancebetween the upper and lower edges of the hat-shaped section flanges 34and 36, so that the whole provides a very rigid assembly.

The support strap 28 is positioned across the outer face of the column26 so that it has a completely free and unattached length between theends of the column. It is spaced from the outer face 30 by the flanges42 and spacers 46 to provide the grain door slot. Its opposite ends 47are bent around and across the ends of the column and the cover plates40, and are secured to inner face or wall 43 of the column by aplurality of fastening means such as drive rivets 50. At the inner faceof the column a spacer and strengthening plate 52 is provided betweenthe strap 28 and the column 26, and which may be omitted if addedstrength is not desired or if some other fastening means is used inplace of the drive rivets, such, for example, as welding. If desired,the strap 28 may be preformed or bent accurately in a xture to fitacross the column face 30, the end plates 40, and the inner face 4S,before being secured to the column 26.

As will be observed from Fig. 1, the crossbrace 24 is substantiallylonger than the width of the grain door and is preferably long enough sothat it overlies the inner sheating S4 of the carrier. A cross brace issecured to or hung from the carrier sheathing 54 by a pair of doubleheaded nails 56 which are driven thereinto through apertures 53extending through the column flange 34, the cover plate flange 42, andthe spacer plate 46. It will be observed from Fig. 3 that the strapping28 lies against the inner face of the sheathing 54 and the doorwaydefining frame posts 18 and across the outer face of the grain door 10.

The cross brace 24 and grain door 10 are secured across the doorwayopening 22 in the following preferred manner: The grain door 10 is heldin place so that the fold 11 between the main body of the door and thefloor flap 13 just touches the floor of the car. The top of the graindoor 10 is then nailed to the posts 18 so that the door will hang andneed not be supported by workmen during the installation. The marginaledges of the grain door 10 are nailed to the posts 18 in the normalmanner, care being taken to do the nailing evenly at both sides towardthe bottom. At a point about one-third of the grain door height, thenailing is halted and the lower portion of the door and the oor ap arethreaded through the space between the column 26 and strap 28 of thecross brace 24. The latter is then moved upwardly on the door until thecolumn hits the lowest nails 20, securing the grain door to the posts18. The nails 56 are then driven into the sheathing 54 to hang the crossbrace therefrom. The lower portion and floor flap of the door are nailedinto place.

The drawing shows a single cross brace 24 across the doorway opening 22,but it should be understood, of course, that the number and verticalplacement of the cross braces is determined by the character and forceof the load and the physical condition of the vehicle.'

The cross brace 24 gives added support to the nonrigid grain door 10 `atthe place where the load might cause it to bulge or sag outwardlyunduly, and Ymight prevent the ready closure of the main doors of thevichicle. While the grain doors 10 are intended to be used only once,and are usually destroyed in unloading the car, it is obvious that thecross brace 24 has a substantially long life, and unless it is misusedor damaged it can be reused.

Where the strap 28 restrains the door 10, the fabric or paper of thedoor will billow out at the top and bottom of the strap 28, but not sofar as to permit the door 10 to pull away from the frame posts 18 or tointerfere with closing the cars main doors.

In the foregoing description, the element 26 has been described as acolumn because it acts primarily in compression like a column does underload conditions. The cross brace 24 is a unit not necessarily fastenedto the grain door and the compressive and tensile stresses which areplaced on it from the load are self contained. As the grain door 10under the pressure of the load within the vehicle bears against thestrap 28, the latter resists the load primarily by longitudinal tensilestresses. Since the ends of the strap 28 are anchored at the ends of thecolumn 26, the stresses in the strap are exactly balanced by stresses,primarily compressive and longitudinal, in the column 26.

In Fig. 5 there is shown a modified column section 62 and a narrowerstrapping 28. The section is a closed box shape made of a single sheetof metal bent so that the forward plate 64 thereof is integral with thebottom, top and inner walls. The forward plate 64 extends upwardlybeyond top wall 66 and is welded to an upwardly extending flange 68. Endclosure plate 70 is constructed in the same fashion as the plate 40, andhas a flange 72 and spacer '74 corresponding to the flange 42 and spacer46, and a locating or positioning plate 75 corresponding to the locatingplate 44. In order to accommodate the narrower strapping, the end plate70 is formed with a pair of inwardly projecting ears 76 to prevent thestrapping 28 from slipping off the end of the cross brace 24 to which itis secured by the rivets 50, by spot welding or some other convenientand appropriate means. The function and operation of the modified crossbrace shown in Fig. 5 is identical with that of the principalembodiment.

It is, of course, possible that the column 26 be made of square orrectangular tubing to which cover plates are secured in the mannerdisclosed', and which are fitted with flanges, or other arrangement forhanging the cross brace from the sheathing or inner wall of the car.Also, other cross sectional shapes suitable for columns might be used.The end plates 40 or 70 may take the form of half rounds in order toeliminate the relatively sharp bends in the strapping 28 in orderproperly to secure it to the inner face of the column.

Other arrangements for securing the strapping to the column might beused. For example, the strapping might be riveted, welded, or otherwisesecured to the column with spacers inserted between the strapping andcolumn to provide the grain door slot.

While the preferred mounting for the cross brace 24 is hanging it from apair of nails driven into the sheathing of the boxcar, other mountingarrangements are possible. For example, the cross brace might besupported by the grain door itself by adhesively securing the outer faceof the grain door to the inner face of the strap 28. Or the strap 28might be laminated between the fabric plies 12 and 14 as are the crossstraps 16, and in such manner that the ends of the strap 28 are exposedto be secured, as by welding, for example, to the opposite ends of thecolumn 26.

From the foregoing description it is clear that the objectives which areclaimed for the present invention are attained by the structuredisclosed and set forth in the following claims.

While a preferred' and other embodiments of the cross brace constitutingthis invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent thatmodifications and variations thereof may be made without departing fromthe underlying principles of the invention. It is, therefore, desired bythe following claims to include within the scope of the invention allsuch variations and modifications by which substantially the results ofthis invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the sameor equivalent means.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured' by United StatesLetters Patent is:

l. A cross brace for a nonrigid load retaining door, the door beingadapted to be secured to the doorway frame of a vehicle, comprising incombination, a substantially rigid member adapted to be secured to thevehicle across the doorway opening and' at the inner side thereof, saidmember having a length greater than that of the load retaining door withwhich it is to be used, and a exible, tension resisting element securedat its ends to said member and having an unsecured length extendingacross the outer face of said member, whereby the load retaining doormay be placed between said member and the unsecured' length of saidelement and supported by the latter against bulging outwardly underpressure of the load within the vehicle.

2. A cross brace for a nonrigid load retaining door, the door adapted tobe secured to the doorway frame of a vehicle, comprising in combination,a column adapted to be secured to the vehicle across the doorway openingand at the inner side thereof, said column having a length greater thanthat of the load` retaining door with which it is to be used, and ametallic strap secured at its ends to said column and having anunsecured length extending across the outer face of said column, wherebythe load retaining door may be placed between said column and theunsecured length of said strap and supported by the latter againstbulging outwardly under pressure of the load Within the vehicle.

3. A cross brace for a nonrigid load retaining door, the door beingadapted to be secured to the doorway frame of a vehicle, comprising incombination, a column adapted to be secured to the vehicle across thedoorway opening and at the inner side thereof, said column having alength greater than that of the load retaining door with which it is tobe used', a metallic strap secured at its ends to said column and havingan unsecured length extending across the outer face of said column, andmeans slightly spacing said length of strap from said column, wherebythe load retaining door may be placed in the space between said columnand the unsecured length of said strap and supported by the latteragainst bulging outwardly und'er pressure of the load within thevehicle.

4. A cross brace for a nonrigid load retaining door, the door beingadapted to be secured to the doorway frame of a vehicle, comprising incombination, a generally horizontally disposed metallic strap extendingacross the outer face of the load retaining door, and column meansseparate from the load retaining door bridging across the doorwayopening at the inner face of the load retaining door and to which saidstrap is secured for holding said strap in door supporting position torestrain the door against bulging outwardly under pressure of the loadwithin the vehicle.

5. A cross brace for a nonrigid load retaining door, the door beingadapted to be secured to the doorway frame of a vehicle, comprising incombination, a metallic strap extending across the outer face of theload retaining door, and structural means separate from the loadretaining door bridging across the doorway opening and to which theopposite ends of said strap are secured for holding said strap in d'oorsupporting position to restrain the door against bulging outwardly underpressure of the load within the vehicle.

6. A cross brace for a nonrigid load retaining door, the door beingadapted to be secured to the doorway frame of a vehicle, comprising incombination, a metallic strap extending across the door and insupporting relation thereto to restrain the door against bulgingoutwardly under pressure of the load within the vehicle, and a columnmeans secured to the opposite ends of the strap and bridging across thedoorway opening of the vehicle at the inner side thereof, and said crossbrace being supported by the load retaining door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,116,260 Corkran May 3. 1938

